Amazon.com

The late French filmmaker Albert Lamorisse made this classic, 1956 short work about a lonely little Parisian boy (Pascal Lamorisse) befriended by a large red balloon, which seems to have a will of its own. As with his preceding short, 1952's White Mane, Lamorisse took home a grand prize from the Cannes Film Festival for The Red Balloon, and the latter film also won an Academy Award. There have been some stimulating pieces of film criticism (some pro, some con) written about the aesthetics of this little movie over the years, but there's no question it makes for a touching, allegorical piece always certain to prompt conversations among viewers of any age. --Tom Keogh ... Read more

Reviews (63)

My absolute favorite movie from my childhood.
... This movie was my absolute favorite from my childhood days. The first time I ever saw this was when I was in grade school back in the 1970's. They would show this movie at school on the old motion picture projectors on rainy days when you couldn't go out for recess. I remember falling in love with the movie instantly and always looking forward to the next time the school would show it. It was such a magical experience to watch it as a child and I can honestly say this is the only film that I can still hear and see in my memory. The music, and the sound of the little boy running through the cobble stone streets, and the stark contrast between the balloon's brilliant color and the boy's very grey world. I also remember the teachers at school telling us how they had to request this movie from the city library many months in advance because it was such a popular film with the school district. Who would have ever thought that American public schools could make such great decisions? Showing this film over and over year after year was one of the best ideas any of my teachers had. I really recommend you share this movie with your loved one's as it may just help create wonderful memories for them to look back on someday.

One of My Favorite French Films!
I have fond memories of Watching The Red Balloon when I was a little girl in the 70's. I remember it being shown in my Elementary school with an old movie projector and I also remember watching it on TV and this is still one of my favorite French movies. It is a short film about a little French boy who follows a red balloon throughout Paris and it is a very endearing movie. A Couple of years ago this movie was shown on TCM and I taped it and I see that Several reviewers have wrote about owning this movie on DVD and I would love to have it on DVD but Amazon only seems to have the video in their online catalog and no DVD so I guess that the DVD is out of print or Amazon just doesn't sell it but anyways I very highly recommend this delightful movie which is great for all ages! BTW: I liked the movie so much as a child that when I saw the book in our public library I borrowed it several times and I loved the book too!

question ???
I am trying to find this wonderful movie in dvd format. Is it hopeless? If so why?

A classic that needs to be restored..
This timeless little film is probably the best known French film in the United States. This is due to the fact that nearly every elementary school had a copy which they used to babysit the kids when a teacher was absent. This film is such an effective "babysitting" tool because it completely draws in and engages the viewer no matter their age. Lamorisse truly knew and practiced "camera as stilo". I find this film to be as fascinating and colorful now (at age 34) as I did when I was ten years old. This is truly a film masterpiece, just one of many to come out of France in the 50's and 60's.

It is a shame that the DVD is so grainy and the sound so poor, the copy I have is actually a Korean DVD which is no problem as you can turn off the Korean subtitles. It would seem, as some reviewers have suggested, that this DVD was made from a copy of the film stock that was dragged through the streets. It is still watchable but it is a crime that this film masterpiece should be in such a poor state on DVD. Someone has to step up and remaster this film for DVD so that it can continue to reach children in future generations.

The Best childrens movie ever made
I saw this when I was first in kindergarten. I cried when the evil gang of boys popped the poor red balloon at the end. Ever since then I had been wanting so badly to see it again, and finally I came across it on Amazon, and had to have it. I'm 13 now, but even though it may seem strange, the red balloon still makes me laugh as though I were still 5. No kid should grow up without watching the Red Balloon. It helps stimulate the imagination, as well as show you how bad things are in the world, when you have something, and others will stop at nothing to get it.
When underpriveledged Pascal finds a large red balloon tied to a lamp post one early morning, he decides, why not take it with him to school. Things get complicated though. It seems as though the world around him is against balloons. He's not allowed to board the bus to school with it, the teacher won't allow it in the classroom, and his Mother bcomes mad at him for bringing it home. She soon throws it out the window, scolding him afterwords. But Pascal see's something out his bedroom window. It's the balloon! After bring it back in, he doesn't bother trying to figure out how it's alive, he's glad to have a friend finally, no matter who, or what it is. Maybe things won't be so bad after all. Or will they be?
Producer, and writer Albert Lammorise should've gotten a nomination for best film of the year in 1956. It's an instant five stars. After watching the film, I felt a void like all kids might for the red balloon after he got popped. But it turns out, there is a sequel, which one a film festival award called the revenge of the red balloon. It gives you satisfaction for the balloon is back, and he goes around making sure that none of the boys (now men) that popped him so long ago, never see another day of their lives. It was just as hilarious as the first, maybe even funnier, but not so much for kids. The red balloon gets a whopping 5 stars for outstanding everything. Who needs wors in a movie like this. ... Read more

Amazon.com

During its release, this was the most popular film of all time in its native Italy. A typical Roberto Benigni comedy of mistaken identity, this 1991 work stars the actor-director in two roles, one a tough mafioso named Toothpick and the other a meek bus driver who is the gangster's look-alike. When the bad guy's girlfriend comes on to the clueless innocent--and she brings him along to her Sicilian villa--the slapstick madness rolls into high gear. Benigni really is a very funny and often remarkable clown, and he employs his usual physical gags in great and gratifying abundance. His script's inspiration reaches several peak moments when the mysteries between light and dark doppelgangers are suggested. One could reasonably call this sort of Jekyll-and-Hyde tale the closest Benigni has yet come to making his version of Jerry Lewis's The Nutty Professor. --Tom Keogh ... Read more

Reviews (49)

Toothpicks, Bananas, and Organized Crime Equal Laughter
Johnny Stecchino is hilarious and educational. For example, I learned a new game, "the cabinet minister's wife." And to think that for so many years I played chess! Roberto Benigni is a singing school bus driver named Dante in this movie, who falls in love with a beautiful and sophisticated Maria. There is only one problem that Dante does not know of: Maria is married to a mafioso who is a spitting image of Dante, and she plans to switch the two men and to have Dante killed to get her husband out of trouble. Benigni also plays the mafia don. He is very good in both roles. The funniest parts of the movie take place in Palermo. The scene where Dante is trying to persuade the cardinal to take his "medicine" is just about as funny as anything I have ever seen. The scene in the opera is also hilarious.

Eventually, Maria has to make a moral choice. Buy it, and stay away from bananas in Palermo--don't even look at them.

Brilliant comedy! Laugh...Laugh....and more Laugh!
First, I will say that other than movie concerts, musicals, and video collections, I OWN TWO movies! TWO! Just TWO! And they are both Roberto Benigni's - "Johnny Stecchino and "The Monster." Benigni out shines any other other comedian I have ever seen. To say he is a genius is an understatement. He is unbelievably hilarious! The English subtitles are very easy to read and keep up with. Note: Don't ever see English voice dubbing of his movies. You have to HEAR HIM!

The case of miss identity is not new to comedy, but Benigni brings that freshness to American audiences. He brilliantly plays a dual role, Dante, a meek school bus driver and gangster Johnny Stecchino. His wife, Nicoletta Braschi, joins her husband again and she, too, exudes sincereity with true chemistry to his characters.

There is beyond great slapstick, the dialogue is well scripted and the plot is equally entertaining. If your passion is for truly great comedy, enjoy this and the funnier Benigni movie, "The Monster." You will be guaranteed a night of laughter, hilarious, nonstop laughter!!......MzRizz

Il film più divertente che io abbia mai visto...
This film is by far the funniest film I have ever seen. It could not be more entertaining. I could sit here and write about what happened in the film and try to explain why it was hilarious, but the truth is that it's something that simply needs to be experienced, you can't be told about it. All I can tell you, the movie watching public, to do is to see this movie in the original italian with subtitles. It is true that even if you don't understand italian, you need to hear Roberto's voice for it to work. Never get a dubbed copy of ANY of his films. The dubbing is always crap. He is the funniest man alive and this film showcases the best and the most purest version of his comedy of any of his work. It's over the top, yes, but it's splendid good fun and it'll put a smile on your face for hours after.

Wonderfully funny
The first I ever saw Roberto Benigni was Son of the Pink Panther. I laugh and laugh. Roberto Benigni does it again. He is a naturally funny. The misunderstandings of the banana, the gangsters singing, the opera scene was classically funny.

MOLTO BENE!
MOLTO BENE! Benigni out does himself yet agian. A must see for anyone. And non-stop laughter! ... Read more

Amazon.com

This majestic, French-made film wishes viewers a "latcho drom"--a safejourney--as it follows the roots of the Rom, traveling people better known as Gypsies. Stunning and evocative, it transcends language and culture, bringing together the best elements of National Geographic-style documentary and music video in a kind of anthropologicalMTV. Using only music and image, without any steady characters or plot, award-winning director Tony Gatlif (himself of Rom descent) tells a compelling story of Rom migrations from Northern India to Europe and the rest of the world. Beginning with a gathering of lavishly dressed nomads singing across the harsh deserts of Rajasthan, viewers are transported through the lush oases of Egypt into the ghettoes of Turkey, from the muddy lanes of Eastern Europe through lush French fields to the windswept coastal cities of Spain. Every step of the way, there are hypnotic reminders of the harshness and beauty of the Rom lifestyle: the rhythms of labor pounding into vibrant dance, the songs of Turkish flower sellers merging with the plaintive political satires of a gray-haired Romanian violinist. Music is everywhere--children barely able to walk dance alongside great-grandmothers--and covers all styles and subjects--from the wintry strains of an Auschwitz lament to a flamenco devotional in a Spanish shrine to a festive Dixieland number that borrows as much from New Orleans as from northern India. And wordless stories abound, told in the smiles of strangers waiting for a train or in the frowns of rifle-toting farmers come to evict travelers from their land. --Grant Balfour ... Read more

Reviews (25)

An enthralling glimpse into a hidden world
If you've ever been interested in learning about Gypsy (or more accurately, Rom) culture and history, this is the film for you.Made by Tony Catlif, himself a Rom, the film (the title means "Safe Journey," a serious blessing in this culture) takes the viewer on the same path travelled by the gypsies themselves a thousand years ago. It begins in India, showing a gypsy band in a desolate spot, telling their own story in dance and song. He travels ever westward, through Egypt, Turkey, Eastern Europe, France, and finally Spain, where the stunning beauty of gypsy flamenco dance and music will hold you spellbound. There is no dialog: Catlif lets the lyrics of the songs, the language of the dances, and the unforgettable faces of the gypsies themselves tell the story. You'll feel like you've been given a brief but magical tour of a mysterious, rarely seen world. Gypsies have always been persecuted and ostracized; this film, made by one of their own, gives them a voice in their own language. END

Stunning
The film Latcho Drom is a unique product, which is more like a 2 hour long music video, showcasing gypsy music (and sometimes dance) from all around the world. This is an amazing way of seeing the common treads that unite Roma (or gypsy) culture in all parts of the world, but also how these people have adapted to their surrounding by adopting bits and pieces of local traditions. This is also finally, a positive and maybe even objective look into Roma culture, free of stereotypes and prejudice. For fans of "Deep Forest", one of the songs from the film, the one from Slovakia, was sampled for one of their pieces on "Boheme." This film has rapid beats and heel-taping rythms, but also sad and melancholic songs and laments. Some images will make you want to get up and dance, while other can move you to tears, for example the old Roma lady singing about gypsy persecution at Auschwitz during WWII. A true pleasure to watch and listen to. I just hope there would now be a Latcho Drom 2 to explore the other regions of the world where Roma culture flourishes, but which were not included in the film.

extraordinary!
one of the most beautiful films of the past 20 years, almost shocking. what an extreme pity the film is not available on dvd so that it can be projected in home theater settings----a visually spectacular film on a large screen.

not a documentary in the usual sense in that there is no script or text, no interviews. the story is told wholly through gorgeous visuals and incredible music----and it is not any less informative for that fact! furthermore, by beginning in india and moving its way circuitously west to spain, one hears in sequence the transmutation of the musical styles---an obvious and simple yet truly amazing cinematic structure.

the sensitive viewer will absorb the pathos of rom people without difficulty. not a film for literalists, however, or those who need their cultural experiences explained to them. in this way the film is also very french.

Should be on DVD
Others have amply described this film. I just want to note that it would be great on DVD, because unlike most documentaries, the production values are on a par with Hollywood feature films. It's shot in 35MM wide screen, beautifully staged and lit, with a high quality digital audio track. Seen on the big screen it has immense impact because it transcends the documentary genre.

Greatness
When I first saw this video I could not belive it. It is truly beautiful, the music captivating and soulful. Although I was stoned out of my mind (high as a kite) I really new this was greatness and went out to pursue the soundtrack. It is one of my favorites to this day. I'm patiently waitng for the DVD release because let's face it video cassettes blow....cassette... wow, is that how youreally spell cassette.... weird man..... wierd. ... Read more

Reviews (39)

What Goes Around.....Comes Around...in Spades!
This gorgeous film is the concluding story of Jean de Florette. That the two films aren't boxed together is ridiculous, because although they stand alone, taken together they become an unforgettable film experience and a devastating masterpiece.

In this film, the little daughter of Jean de Florette, who knows what was done to her father and by whom, has grown to become a stunningly beautiful young woman (Emmanuelle Beart). She is a free spirit, a shephardess, and so achingly gorgeous that one of the participants in her father's tragic downfall (Daniel Auteuil) can't help but fall hopelessly in love with her (no mystery there!). That his love is hopeless and will ruin him is just the begining of the reverberations from the sins commited in the first film that will befall the sinners in this concluding second film.

The other is what happens to the character played by Yves Montand. I will not spoil it for you, but what comes back on this cruelly calculating old man is something to behold. Montand capped a wonderful career with his brilliant and nuanced portrayal of this man. The role, which spans both films, is a beautifully deep performance, and you will be surprised by your different emotions about this character. It is a full-range performance, and shouldn't be missed by anyone who loves great acting.

Although each film is complete unto itself, it is together that the full artistry and power of the story is experienced. So if you get one, by all means get the other.

Directed with care and photographed beautifully in the countryside of Provence, this is a visual and emotional treat. A terrific story of human passions, each is a 4 star film, together they are a 5 star masterpiece.

Second film of a two part story.....
I love this film. Emmanuelle Beart made her debut in this film and she is breathtakingly beautiful. Her husband Daniel Auteuil also starred in the film. I don't know if they met on the set or not but it was certainly made at the beginning of their careers in film.

The story of Manon (Beart) continues in this film. In JEAN DE FLORETTE she was a little girl, who accompanied her parents to Provence where her father took up the cultivation of Carnations on the old family farm. Uncle (Yves Montand) and cousin (Daniel Auteuil) next door objected as there was only enough water to supply one farm. The result was a water war.

In MANON, the young Manon has grown into a young woman. She lives a relatively wild life on the old homestead, raising goats who follow her everywhere like children. Cousin (Auteuil) realizes one day that he is in love with her. But a dark secret hangs over his head and if Manon knew the secret she might hate him (has to do with water).

The rest of the plot consists of the resolution of problems, tensions, difficulties set up in JEAN DE FLORETTE. I can't imagine anyone buying one film and not the other. I am buying both DVDs. They are a set. The cinematography is wonderful, the actors are superb. If you love Provence you will want to own these DVDs so you can watch them on those cold rainy days when you aren't in France.

The sweet smell of revenge
In the first part of this sequel, Jean de Florette, there has been a murder. So remeber Emerson statement: Commit a crime , and the world is made of glass.
Emmanuelle Béart is one of the most beautiful actress in the world, his charm is so arresting that gives us the perfect role for this work. She made her debut in the screen in this one.
She knows more than Daniel Auteil believes, he falls in love with her but...
The second part of this work is extraordinary. You can miss the absence of Depardieu, that's why the director makes a clever less lineal with more surprises and even satirical approach. Remember the miracle water, for instance.
Yves Montand may well have done the best achievement of his long career in this role.
Watch this enjoyable film, and remember this is the second part of the story.

Make sure you see Jean de Florette first
This is the second part of a two part series, and picks up where Jean de Florette leaves off. If you do not see Jean de Florette, then you will be missing much of the background of this movie, and the context is important. For example, without viewing the first movie, the viewer will not know Manons background, what happened to her father, and their farm. The viewer will also not know the full relationship she has with the Soubeyran clan.

The quality of the DVD picture is avarage. The picture is fairly clean and clear.

Good film !
American friends,I am agree with you about Manon of the spring("Manon des sources" in french) so I can only add one thing.Because the action of the film is set in the south-east of France,the actors speak with the lovely accent of this part of the country.That contribute to "add sun" in the film. ... Read more

Reviews (3)

A Joyous Celebration
It has been years since I saw this quite competent and surprisingly delightful fiim at the movies. Others here have gone into the plot and brief nudity in the film.

This film was widely acclaimed by the then usually homophobic press. I decided to see it after watching a t.v. show with Charles Champlin, former film critic of the L.A. Times. He was impressed with the simplicity and honesty of
"You Are Not Alone" and so was I and several gay friends I saw it with.

While certainly not a masterpiece, it is an excellent film. Few films then or since have captured the exhilarating joyous feeling of rebellious freedom on "coming out" that the climatic scene in this does.

It was very much a fantasy ending then as it is now. But, I believe such celebrations of liberation can and do happen.

"You Are Not Alone" is quite worthy of everyone's attention.

If you can see it, do so. Most won't be disappointed.

Struggles to find direction.
This movie is fairly watchable, but it lacks any real plot and is a bit disjointed. Although the main focus is on the love between two boys, there is very little beyond a few lustful glances, until the end scene where they share a long kiss. This kiss, however, is unconvincing, never shown in close up, and the boys seem unable to find each others mouths.

There is some incidental nakedness, and the actors are pleasant enough to watch, but when the movie is over you tend to wonder what it was all about.

However, it is a good time filler and captures the feel of the 1970s.

You Are Not Alone
You Are Not Alone is a wonderfully tender movie about a 12 year old boy (Kim)coming of age. It is set in a boys boarding school in Denmark where 12 year old Kim's father is the school master. Kim lives in a seperate house with his parents on school grounds but quickly forms friendships with a number of the boaders, one in particular is 15 year old Bo who recognises Kim as special. A friendship ensures that leads to Kim sneaking out of his bedroom into Bo's bed in the middle of the night.

There is a shower scene where Bo and Kim get lathered up and have a bit of fun but nothing too overt. The emphasis in this film is the tender and mutual relationship that develops between the boys.

Kim and Bo decide to come out and show the rest of the school and Kim's parents a video they made about thier relationship that concludes with a long and passionate kissing scene.

A woderful and delicately made coming of age film that is done tastefully. The emphasis in this film is on the mutual and tender relationship between Kim and Bo. A must for your collection if you can get hold of a copy. ... Read more

Reviews (26)

Definitely on my top five list
This movie is one of my favorites, and definitely one of the best to come out of any country in the last few years. It is absolutely hilarious! I won't go too much into plot -- gangsters, romance, and a uproariously funny ending (and beginning, and middle), plus subtitles that are in a nice yellow so they're easy to read. The music score is great (I wish there was a soundtrack on CD) and the acting is excellent... I have seen two of Kusturica's other movies, and this is by far the best, although the others were very good too. You will not regret buying this movie, and I would recommend it to anyone!

Kusturica does it again, but better
Kusturica began focusing on the Roma culture most prominently in his movie, "Time of the Gypsies," revisiting this theme in later works either indirectly ("Arizona Dream") or with unabashed flirtation ("Underground"). In "Black Cat, White Cat," these talented musicians are center stage, and you won't take your eyes off them from the time they are tied up in a tree until they march off with their infectious brass beat in the sunset.

The plot follows a young Roma who falls for the village tomboy, but is promised to marry a lovely, albeit height-impaired, ganster's daughter as a result of a poker game. The young couple attempts to circumvent this arrangement by slipping away from their fate much like the silver fish in "Arizona Dreams." The high-charged get-me-out-of-here wedding scene is driven by the gypsy music which feeds the young couple's desperation, the ganster's testosterone levels, and the guests' oblivion, all of which is done very tongue-in-cheek by caricaturizing aspects of Balkan culture. If you like your humor black, you'll dig this movie.

Bizarre, joyful insanity -- don't miss this one!
The sublime goofiness of this movie is hard to describe; you really must see it for yourself. But some of its virtues are: it manages to be a classic farce, without ever seeming stylized; it showcases and celebrates the glorious music of the Romany people in almost every frame, while keeping the convoluted narrative running; it presents even its densest, dopiest, kookiest and weirdest characters as full human beings, not stereotypes; and, not least, it presents a number of farm animals in juicy cameo roles (the car-eating pig ought to get some kind of "Best Performance by a Barnyard Animal" prize). The title characters, for example, appear in almost every crucial scene, and end up making the happy ending possible.

Young lovers, lonely hearts, domineering grandparents, stupid con-artists, cokehead gangsters and flocks of geese make up the world of "Black Cat, White Cat," always accompanied by torrents of music. If loony, generous, dark humor appeals to you, you'll love this wonderful movie.

A great introduction to Kusturica's filmmaking.
For those who don't mind subtitles, this gets my highest recommendation. A chaotic and hilarious look at Yugoslavian Gypsy and gangster life -- lighthearted, not as long and without as much symbolism as UNDERGROUND. A wonderful modern fairy-tale and ideal "primer" for this master filmmaker.

If you like bizarre humor, this is it!
Matko Destanov is a crook and a moron and he wants to marry his son Zare to the mob boss Dadan Karambolo's ugly midget of a sister to pay off some old and new debt.
But Zare is really in love with the gypsy girl Ida, who loves him back, but who unfortunately has been promised to Dadan the Mob boss.
At the same time an old Mob boss from a different family with the exotic name Grga Pitic is out on a quest to find a suitable wife to his worthless dreamer of a son, who in turn has declared that he will not marry before he falls in love with a girl on first sight.
Matko's old dad, Zarije, has no intention of letting his son ruin his grandsons life and he has a grand plan to save Zare from marrying the ugly midget, using his accordion....(yes it goes on and on and on....)

Conclusion: No one can claim to have seen a weird, bizarre, totally crazy and mind blowingly far-out movie before they have seen this one. This one truly beats it all. If you are out there looking for something totally and completely different, something you have never even remotely laid your eyes on before, THIS IS IT! ... Read more

Amazon.com

Beautiful young French people romp on an idyllic country estate in Tender Cousins. The story, set in 1939, centers around Julien, a young adolescent boy in love with his cousin Julia, who is in love with the foppish Charles, who is engaged to be married to Julien's older sister Claire, who... you get the idea. Julien and Julia's little sister Poune, who seems to know what everyone is up to, engage in pranks; a visiting actress puts on a theatrical revue; everyone pursues the new maid; a scientist believes he has isolated the soul, which he captures in balloons; and, when war against Germany is declared, the adult men must go off to war, giving the otherwise lyrical story a sad undercurrent. Flashes of wit, bits of silliness, and a good dose of nudity make Tender Cousins pretty much the definition of its brand of French sex comedy. --Bret Fetzer ... Read more

Reviews (9)

Tender Cousins
Unless you are a David Hamilton collector, I would suggest you buy another movie. The amount and duration of early teen nudity was very disappointing. While there are a few adult nude scenes (also short in duration), teen and pre-teen nudity is seriously lacking. For a brief moment you get to see one nude teen (full frontal nudity) lying in the grass outside. Later you get to see her bathing with only a slight glimpse of pubic hair. The prettiest and youngest girl in this movie you don't get to see nude at all. Such a disappointment for a David Hamilton film. If you're looking for movies with good story lines, good acting and pre-teen or child nudity look at "Pretty Baby", "Tom and Lola" and "The Annunciation".

I hope this review provides potential buyers with information that other reviewers seem to overlook. While many of these movies have great acting and solid story lines, what many people are interested in is nudity, so to that end all GateKeeper reviews will focus on providing that information.

Interesting for David Hamilton Fans
David Hamilton, who began as a fashion photographer, made his considerable reputation from a large number of glossy and beautifully executed coffee-table-sized photobooks of undraped adolescent girls, soft-focused, highly romanticized, and decorous almost to the point of being chaste. In 1977 he began making motion pictures with the same general theme as his books. He made five altogether: "Bilitis" (1977), "Laura" (1979), "Tendres Cousines" (1980), "Premiers Désirs" (1983), and "A Summer in Saint-Tropez" (1984). Four of these are available on VHS. The fifth, "Premiers Désirs," notable for featuring the 18-year-old Emmanuelle Béart in a minor role, has never been released in the US.

Unfortunately, Hamilton, while brilliant at photographic composition and with a keen eye for the sensuous, fails as a motion-picture director. Apart from the images, his films are not very interesting. The scripts are dull and predictable, and the mostly wooden dramatic performances of his adolescent and adult stars are less than praiseworthy. If you are a David Hamilton fan and collector as I am, you will not be able to pass up the opportunity to have any of his films on VHS or, better still, DVD. Otherwise, rent before you buy.

A Boy's Dream Summer-done by David Hamilton
A teenage boy is left on a farm during the war when all the men have gone. There are females of every age who are desiring a male's company-any male. The boy finds himself much desired. However, he has a crush on an older teen girl who doesn't seem to like him too much. He has difficulty dealing with this, and all the other attention that comes this way. Since this is a David Hamilton work, there is nudity, but not as much sensuality as his other movies.

Dubbed Version
This VHS version is dubbed into english, and the quality of the recording is not the best. I would recommend getting Tender Cousins instead (same film but in french with english subtitles).

I first saw the french version of this film on cable when I was 15. I was glued to the set - The beautiful young ladies, fantastic cinematography, and wonderful scenery from the french countryside in 1939.

The plot is a little thin, namely that Julien, a young maturing lad has just returned home at the family farm, and he starts discovering the ladies, or more appropriately that they start discovering him. However his heart desires his beautiful cousin, and alas she doesn't seem too interested in him, at least not at first.

There is quite a bit of nudity in this film, but it is tasteful, albeit often gratuitous. I definitely would give the film 5 of 5 stars, but I gave it 4 because the dubbed voices aren't the best - you'd think that with a french title it would have been in french, but it's dubbed in english.

Also, female viewers will probably think the film is stupid because of the gratuitous nudity, whereas most heterosexual men will probably appreciate the film as an art form.

Hamilton Fans will Enjoy
Yes, it is kind of slow and a bit 'corny' in parts but the topic and the videography are sure to please. I wish he'd put this title on DVD. For those with DVD players, I recommend 'Rituals of Summer' DVD available thru Amazon. ... Read more

Amazon.com

On his evening commute, bored accountant Sugiyama (Koji Yakusho) always looks for the beautiful woman who gazes wistfully out the window of the Kishikawa School of Dancing. One night he gets off the train, walks into the studio, and signs up for a class. Soon Sugiyama is so engrossed in his dancing he practices his steps on the train platform and under his desk, and becomes good enough for competition, compelling his wife to hire a private investigator to find out why he stays out late and returns home smelling of perfume. Among the colorful characters Sugiyama meets is his coworker Aoki (Naoto Takenaka), who transforms himself from geeky systems analyst to hilariously flamboyant (and bad-wigged) lounge lizard. Aoki explains to Sugiyama, "When I finish work, put on the clothes, the wig and become Donny Burns, Latin world champion, and I start to move to the rhythm, I'm so happy, so completely free." Here lies the chief charm of Shall We Dance, the contrast between the ultracompetitive women of the studio--including the one who caught Sugiyama's eye, Mai (Tamiyo Kusakari)--and the men who dance simply because they enjoy it. This 1996 film is somewhat comparable to the flamboyant Aussie favorite Strictly Ballroom, but Shall We Dance is especially noteworthy for contrasting the boldness of social dance with the buttoned-up societal mores of Japan, where people avoid public displays of emotion. Even in Japan, the joy of dance is irresistible. --David Horiuchi ... Read more

Reviews (105)

Save the Last Dance For Me
A clever late 90's Japanese film with English subtitles about ballroom dance lessons. No, this isn't your Arthur Murray dance studio. The cast is a memorable diverse, intriguing, group of characters taking dance lessons. Since the Japanese are reserved about public intimacy, dance lessons should be of a clandestine nature. The consensus in the movie is that men are considered losers if they take dance lessons or is it "just a reason to hold a woman in your arms."

The story focuses on Mr. Shugyima, a workacholic who spots an attractive woman through a window. Burdened with a mortgage and life's pressures, he seeks dance lessons to get closer.

Another character, a balding, quirky, looney Japanese/Latino, Mr. Aoki, has been dancing for five years, he wears a long frizzy wig piled loosely on his head because he believes the wig gives him inspiration to be like his idol, Donny Burns, a Latin dance king. The funny contortionist facial movements work equally with his suave, cool, bawdy dance numbers. He comes across like a combination Don Juan and Madonna striking a pose! A dance partner offends him when she refuses to dance with him as he dances "creepy."

An unusual treat is the Drifter's song "Save the Last Dance For Me." It is the only English lyrical song, quite fitting for the occasion. This movie is a gem, full of humor and silliness. See it!......MzRizz.

"Shall We Dansu?"-great story and cast!
This has to be the best Japanese movie I've ever seen and my all time favorite! It's the story of a 40 something year-old salaryman who, after seemingly attaining all his goals in life, a wife and child, a company position with a bright future and a new house, begins to ponder if there's more to life than just the "9 to 5" grind and mortgage payments. During his train rides home from work, he notices a beautiful young woman standing in front of the window of a dance school. What happens after that might seem obvious, but me believe it's not...Even if you don't understand one word of Japanese, the subtitled version, like the touching story are so well written, that you'll want to watch it over and over again. I hope the rumors of this movie coming out in U.S. theatres are true because it's sure to be a hit, until then i'll be waiting for this one on DVD! Aoki-san Gambatte!

to dance is to be free!!!!
This is the tale of Sugiyama, a Japanese "salaryman" who, in the tradition of modern-day Japan, essentially lives to work depsite the boredom and neglect of his family. On his morning commute aboard the train, he sees a beautiful dance instructor in he classroom. He decides to sign up and finds a life outside the office and his family via dancing. His wife hires a detective to find out what he is doing and why he smells like perfume when he gets back.

The great thing about this movie, and what I believe is true for everyone in every nation, is that everyone needs a passion that has absolutely nothing to do with their job or any of the skills required for it. Something to do just for the sake of enjoying yourself. As his coworker and fellow dance fanatic Aoki says, it makes him feel free.

The fact that they have to hide their hobby at work is hilarious. Aoki says their improved posture is a dead giveaway. They are caught ballroom dancing in the men's room so Sugiyama pretends he has just fainted and Aoki happened to catch him.

Humorous with a message, this is a great flick.

Gai-jin rates Shall We Dance as Ichi-ban (number one) Movie
I first saw Shall We Dance? on the big screen and was captivated by its storyline and cast of characters. I felt then, as I do now, that this was a film out of the ordinary. Viewers can relate to the various personalities and their dreams or desires. Because I am an expatriate living in Japan, I enjoyed the glimpse into the daily lives of my neighbors. Ichi-ban movie...a heart-warming story that you won't get tired watching over and over again. It needs to come on DVD a.s.a.p.

Save the Last Dance for me!!
This is a clever late 90's Japanese film with English subtitles about ballroom dance lessons. No, this isn't your Arthur Murray dance studio. The subtitles are very easy to read and clearly defined. The cast is a memorable diverse, intriguing, group of characters taking dance lessons.

Since the Japanese are reserved about public intimacy, dance lessons are of a clandestine nature. The consensus here is that men are considered losers if they take dance lessons or lessons are just a reason to hold a woman in your arms.

The story focus is on Mr. Shugiyama, an overworked middle-aged man with a wife, daughter at home. From his commute, he spots a beautiful woman in a window as she teaches her students dance steps.

His intention is to meet the girl, but she blatantly tells him that she takes this serious and if he is there just to meet her, then he should not take lessons. She adamantly informs him that this is a classroom, not a disco. To "save face", he hangs in there and learns to dance rather than become a failure.

The array of characters:
A balding, quirky, Mr. Aoki, has been dancing for five years, he wears a long frizzy wig piled loosely on his head because he believes the wig gives him inspiration to be like his idol, Donny Burns, a Latin dance king. While he dances, he gives these funny facial movements that equate with his suave, cool, bawdy dance numbers. He comes across like a combination Don Juan and Madonna striking a pose! He is known to dance "creepy."

An extremely shy and reserved heavy-set man with thick glasses gets his fulfillment learning to dance. He becomes alive once he learns the steps.

Also, an abrasive dance instructor who isn't afraid to spew her insults when needed and she trades verbal jabs with the male customers.

As the movie reaches the climax, a number of dance halls and amateur dance contests are held.

An unusual treat is the Drifter's song "Save the Last Dance For Me." It is the only English lyrical song, quite fitting for the occasion. This movie is a gem, full of humor and silliness. See it!......MzRizz. ... Read more

Amazon.com

The long shadow of Malle's autobiographical memoir of occupied France continues to fall heavily across subsequent representations of World War II, boarding school, and male adolescence--in fact, it would be difficult to identify a recent film that addresses these concerns and does not, in some substantial way, echo Au Revoir Les Enfants. The straightforward, unsentimental, gutsy Enfants finds its 12-year-old protagonist, Julien Quentin, sheltered from the conflict in a Catholic school. His classmate Jean, a new arrival, becomes first a competitor, then a beloved friend. Jean, however, hides a secret from his classmates and the Gestapo; evenly, subtly, Malle creates an atmosphere of hovering and inescapable danger. It won't take you more than a few frames to guess Jean's "secret," and many of the plot points here are too telescoped. Nevertheless, the plainspoken courage with which Malle tells his story remains wholly engrossing. The cinematography here is masterful and drunk with childlike wonder, alternating claustrophobic, wood-paneled church interiors with vivid, occasionally frightening outdoor vistas. And never is it more affecting than in the chilling scene where Justin gets lost in the woods during a seemingly innocent game of capture-the-treasure; trees and rocks flash by the running boy with an austere, impersonal beauty. Winner of seven Cesars (the French Oscars) in 1987, including Best Picture. It's in French, with subtitles; but don't let that scare you away. --Miles Bethany ... Read more

Reviews (19)

Beautiful!!!
"Au Revoir Les Enfants" is a great movie!! I'm only 13 and I love foreign films; and this is a great one. Louis Malle directs it and does a marvelous job. This movie is all in French with English subtitles but still pulls it off. It is about a catholic school in France during WW2. When a new boy comes to school, Jean Bonnet, all of his schoolmates pick on him and push him around. But Julien Quinten befriends him. Partly for the father who told him to be nice to him, partly for himself, and partly to find out the secret behind Bonnet's hidden name that he found in Jean's book. At the end, you pretty much know that he's a Jew and the movie ends in a sad and very powerful way. You'll enjoy this...a lot!!!

Brutal betrayal but ultimately love
"Au revoir les enfants" is an autobiographical account of the late director Louis Malle's childhood experience in occupied France. The story takes place at a boarding school for young boys. Julien Quentin, the protagonist, is a feisty, tough but vulnerable 12-year old boy. The arrival of a classmate named Jean Bonnet turns his world upside down. The other kids scorn and taunt him throughout the film but Julien becomes his friend, partly because of his curiosity of Jean's mystique and stoic nature. You will quickly guess what Jean is hiding, and the betrayal of the innocent makes this film haunting and brutal. A beautifully filmed story, sometimes the characters are a little "too beautiful" and perfect, if you know what I mean. Why does Jean have to be a beautiful child with mathematical and musical gifts? We'd love him just as much no matter how he looked. See it, feel it, and remember it.

One of the ten best films of this decade!
Malle made a superb picture in this autobiografical tale about the horror around the insights of a religious school in which a jew child is hidden with a false name .
But the time has its own velvet steps and the tragedy will come.
The bitter atmosphere you breathe under the nazi regime in the France of the forties is depicted with superb realism supported by a richness narrative and fine dialogues.
Don't miss this supreme achievement of one of the most gifted french film maker in any time: Louis Malle!
I really expect the DVD release !

powerful in its simplicity; my all-time favorite movie
poignant
funny
sad (but not depressing)
powerful
beautiful

this is my all-time favorite movie .. enough said!

Extraordinarily good
I have been viewing French movies, partly to explore new areas, and partly to study French. This is one of the best I have run across so far, seen through the eyes of an adolescent. The presentation preserves a childlike sense of awe, while dealing with complex political and moral subjects arising in occupied France. I was also delighted to find that there is a paperback put out by the French publisher "Folio," which basically tracks the French dialogue verbatim. This is useful, since the subtitles necessarily provide only rough translations, and the sometimes slangy French does not always even appear in standard dictionaries. ... Read more

Reviews (56)

Fourth Mistress!!
Gong Li is one of the best actors in asian cinema. Her performance in "Raise the red lantern" won her various awards. She also stared in "ju dou" another excellent film by the same director. Ju dou has one of the best endings i ever seen in a film, It's a sad and tragic story, but beautiful.
Raise the red lantern opened me up to asian drama films and i've been in love with them ever since. It also has one of the best endings i've ever seen in a film, probably the best ever. The cinematography is too good to be true. The story is also tragic, but beautiful. I hope they finally release this wonderful film on DVD soon, a special edition or criterion edition.

Strong and willful...and helpless
Well its impossible not to give this film five stars because it is an example of consummate craft both in acting and directing but there is something about this story which I find a bit unsavory. Of course the whole story of a man having four 'wives' who are really not any more than kept women or concubines is unsavory but even so this vision of harem life is especially disturbing as the women in this harem all turn out to be either petty or downright vicious. Perhaps this infighting is inherent in this kind of situation but the infighting in this case becomes deadly and the film leaves you feeling like many films from the new Chinese cinema leave you feeling and thats that old China was bad for women. This is probably true, it is probably also true that old feudal China(and its really not so very ancient history, this picture takes place in the 1920's) was good only for a handful of powerful feudal lords. But there is another message in this film and thats that willful women get punished. That is another unsavory aspect of this film. The Gong Li character was willful and proud before she ever entered the compound as wife number three and yet she came of her own free will. Much is made of the fact that she unlike the other wives was educated and has a brain and will of her own but nonetheless she becomes as petty as the others. The film is very powerful as it is but it just rings false to me that the Gong Li character would not find a way to continue cultivating her mind and become a stronger and stronger presence as she gained age and wisdom. In other words I think a willful woman would not allow herself to be undermined by others so easily. But she does so and she simply becomes another victim that loses her identity in bits and pieces until she is nothing but a walking shadow. It almost seems that Zhang Yimou is just reaffirming all our suspicions about backward old China. Of course to a westerner the most valued thing is individuality so it almost seems Yimou is catering to our own fears in the telling of this story about identity robbery. It is a captivating story and it is impossible not to admire the consummate craftsmanship with which it is put together but there is something inconsistent about the psychology of that main character and though it may be true that women had no official powers in old china it is also certainly true that women did exert their influence in unofficial ways but the Chinese to this day(Zhang Yimou included)do not tell stories about powerful women who are not punished. In Shanghai Triad Gong Li plays another kind of willful woman who also unintentionally brings about destruction and again she meets a similar fate. Its a strange kind of role she plays in both films. She is willful and cruel and selfish and yet somehow we don't blame her for it and she wins our sympathy in the end because she is ultimately rendered helpless.

A domestic drama
This is an exquisite film in every detail. Beauty is in every frame. Were it not so well made, I would describe it as a slow-moving domestic drama: Jane Austen with claws. I couldn't quite accept Gong Li as a Chinese woman of the 1920s. She looked a little too tall, well fed, and healthy: a modern look that showed through the gorgeous costumes and scenery.

Gong Li is the Best Unknown Actress in Movies
If there were any fairness in Hollywood, Gong Li would have won the Academy Award for Best Actress for any one of her many movies. Besides being drop-dead gorgeous, she is an exquisite actress of the first order. The opening scene, a close-up of her face as she resigns herself to her nihilistic future, will convince anyone of this fact. Raise the Red Lantern is a thinking, engrossing movie that dispenses with special effects and overwhelming scores and concentrates on story and acting. Zhang Yimou is famous for delivering biting criticism of the oppressive, delusional aspects of Chinese society. Raise the Red Lantern shows one very strong, independent woman's attempt to overcome thousands of years of historic oppression in early 20th ca China. Women are collectables for rich men, mere objects of possession. The horrific backstabbing and betrayal is among the women themselves as they vie for most-desired-object status. When the human need for dignity and respect surface, the repercussions are catastrophic.

The plot has been well documented, although this is one of those movies where the less you know going in the better. Suffice to say the first thing you'll want to do once the movie is over is to watch it again.

It is disappointing to see a number of very mediocre movies receiving 4 and 5 stars simply because they shun the standard Hollywood formula, as if mainstream automatically equals bad and independent automatically equals good. The mediocrity of these films becomes apparent when compared to indy films of the highest caliber, such as Raise the Red Lantern. Highly, highly recommended.

Another all-time favorite
The plot doesn't develop quickly. Let's get that out of the way. But director Zhang Yimou deftly handles the plot, actors and camera, really tightening the screws on the dramatic tension. It's just a gradual tightening. But once you're involved, the story is hypnotic. Just don't go in expecting Hollywood-style editing, set pieces or storytelling cliches. This is a quiet story with great acting and amazing visuals for such a basic set and basic story. Haunting and unforgettable! You'll love it. ... Read more

Amazon.com

The beauty of the South American landscape and of Gael Garcia Bernal (Y Tu Mama Tambien, Bad Education) gives The Motorcycle Diaries a charisma that is decidedly apolitical. But this portrait of the young Che Guevara (later to become a militant revolutionary) is half buddy-movie, half social commentary--and while that may seem an unholy hybrid, under the guidance of Brazillian director Walter Salles (Central Station) the movie is quietly passionate. Guevara and his friend Alberto Granado (Rodrigo de la Serna, a lusty and engaging actor) set off from Buenos Aires, hoping to circumnavigate the continent on a leaky motorcycle. They end up travelling more by foot, hitchhiking, and raft, but their experience of the land and the people affects them profoundly. No movie could affect an audience the same way, but The Motorcycle Diaries gives a soulful glimpse of an awakening social conscience, and that's worth experiencing. --Bret Fetzer ... Read more

Reviews (92)

An Eloquent Whitewash
I saw this really cool movie about Charles Manson when he was a boy, riding a bike, helping people he met along the way, volunteering at a leper colony, charming the ladies, flashing that winning smile, etc. The movie may have glossed over his bitter racism and his intense homophobia a little bit, and it did go out of its way to paint Mr. Manson in a positive light. Had you not known the name, you might have thought he went on to be some kind of heroic figure or great humanitarian...not a mass murderer who enjoyed and savored his victims' pain or a delusional megalomaniac who equated wholesale slaughter with revolution. Gee, this movie deserves an oscar.

Oh, wait, did I say "Manson?" Sorry, I meant "Guevarra." Not that it matters. Different name, same exact meaning.

The Motorcycle Diaries is about a man who personally oversaw and took pleasure in dozens of mass executions in Cuba and Latin America (and ordered hundreds more). It's about a man who once personally and without trial executed a hungry child for stealing food. About a man who led bands of armed thugs into peaceful, isolated villages and killed any male who refused to join his "revolutionary army." Che founded Cuba's "labor camp" system-the system that was eventually employed to incarcerate (and often execute) gays, political opponents, religious clerics and AIDS victims. He lobbied Khrushchev and Castro to launch a first-strike nuclear attack on the US from Cuba. The "passion" that drove this man was ultimately not a passion for justice, but just a passion for killing. The fact that he committed all these unspeakable atrocities ostensibly to effect social change makes no difference: after all, so did Charles Manson.

Don't take my word for any of this. You can judge Che from his own hateful words: "To send men to the firing squad, judicial proof is unnecessary. These procedures are an archaic bourgeois detail. This is a revolution! And a revolutionary must become a cold killing machine motivated by pure hate."

If that's not enough, how about another Che gem: "Hatred as an element of struggle; unbending hatred for the enemy, which pushes a human being beyond his natural limitations, making him into an effective, violent, selective, and cold-blooded killing machine - this is what our soldiers must become."

Thousands of men and women have gone on life-affirming road trips as young men and had madcap misadventures, learning about the world and about themselves in the process. So let's face it: the only thing that sets Che's odyssey apart is that Che subsequently went on to become a "cold-blooded killing machine." Others have taken similar journeys and have dedicated themselves to ending world hunger or healing the sick. Why not make a movie about them? But should a man capable of saying AND LIVING BY Che's hateful words be admired, memorialized in cinema and t-shirts, and held up as a role model for those seeking justice? No more than Charles Manson should.

Save your money and your time and your dignity. Respect the dead.Watch something else.

A telling testimony of how an experience can shape your life
After I watched this movie, it left me wanting to know more about the rest of the life of the main characters.I actually wanted to read the original book by Che Guevara and the books by Alberto Granado and added those books to my wishlist.

This movie portrayed Che Guevara in a positive way even though through further discovery, he also had a negative side.The good, bad and the ugly that complicated individuals sometimes own, never mind regular individuals.However, I have had an interest in any kind of media (books or movies) that show the experiences of peoples lives that are different from my own.It really provides and enlightening perspective of what makes people tick.

Like a lot of typical college students the summer of their graduation in America who travel to Europe, Asia, etc. to seek fun and adventure, this offers a similar journey of 2 friends who journey through Latin America ultimately to work in a leper colony.The journey and experience with the people from different nations and cultures ultimately shapes the lead characters future endeavors, including Che Guevara becoming a revolutionary in Cuba.It gives great insight how a single experience can change the destiny of one's life.

It also is a great testimony how 2 friends who start out having common goals and aspirations can all of a sudden go their different ways.I could really relate to this experience, as I have also found this to be true in my own life.I give kudos to the writers of this film who wrote a very layered piece which could relate to individuals on many levels and the actors were on point in their portrayals.Robert Redford is the executive producer on this film and made a wonderful choice in taking on this film.A true tribute to his development and experiences with the Sundance Film Institute.

The most important thing the movie reflects is truth and self-realization.The truth that 2 friends wil be parting ways and what path each one will choose.One comfortable and safe, the other difficult and challenging. It was a truly human film that made me reflect on the choices of my life and what my life would have been had I made different choices.A true coming of age movie.

Smell of gasoline in the air..And is Pleasant !
I am an Indian who has little to no knowledge of what is cuban revolution or Chi or anyone for that matter. Neither do I know a word of Spanish and havehardly any Latin American friends.

Time and again couple of my Indian friends recommended to watch this movie..my curiosity increased when an online group (R2I club) which i visit had a mention of the movie as a great movie. Rented the movie and was absolutely thankful for the recommendation

The movie is fun, very interesting, breadthtaking views, nice theme , excellent subtitles and a perfect blend of everything that made amovie one of my favorites in the recent times. Other than few very subtle ( exploitation by mining company) socialistic touch, which appears very genuine...it is just a great movie...

First thing after watching the movie...went to google and typed in "Che" Guevara .

Wow hold on buddy
What che did is no different than any other political leader did. I mean what is up with that Vietnam thing?
I don't support communism, but the guy was intelligent and sure is one of these people that should be remembered in histoy!!
Viva la Revolucion!!!....=) j.kindding!

An Important Film
The Motorcycle Diaries is an important film for everyone to watch.Despite being called socialist propaganda, I believe this film gets could help cure Americans' misunderstanding of Latin America.

(Disclaimer: the points of view presented in the following paragraph are not necessarily mine, but rather an exploration into the ideology behind Latin American socialist movements.It is only meant to help critics of this film understand why Guevara is respected in Latin America, why most American presidents, with the exception of Jimmy Carter, are regarded as imperialists.)

The movie, for one, explains the roots of socialist ideology in Latin America.It shows the true reasons why millions of students and peasants marched (and still march) in the streets of Latin American cities demanding social justice.While it is true that Guevara had a role in establishing the current Cuban regime, dismissing his ideological roots as "bloodthirsty" and "communist" only widens the political gap in the Western Hemisphere.For those who wonder why the Latin American youth still wears Che, Allende, SubComandante MArcos, and Lenin T-shirts, it is important to understand the circumstances in which Latin Americans grow up.The region remains dominated by corrupt, wealthy capitalists who steal from the poor. While Americans continue to believe that socialism is evil and authoritarian, and while many note that Guevara justified killing political enemies, it is also important to understand that Latin America has suffered under the influence of some American presidents, who, during the Cold WAr, supported authoritarian upper-class rule.Thirty thousand died, in secret, in Argentina's dirty war with the support of Secretary of State Kissinger.Hundreds of thousands died in wars in Central America, most of which resulted in elite military regimes supported by the United States.Thousands have died at the hands of paramilitaries in Colombia, who are given virtual amnesty by Bush's ally, President Uribe. Fidel Castro is a romantic and an infinitely abusive leader, but, to Latin America, he is nothiing like Che Guevara.Che symbolizes not communism in Cuba, but a vision of justice and Utopia in Latin America which has yet to be achieved.

It is important for Americans who want to understand Latin America to watch this film.It will help those who have grown up in a rich, fair society to understand the anger behing Latin American socialism. ... Read more

Amazon.com

Using revolutionary cameras, the directors of this French film (with minimal English-language narration) have made an amazing chronicle of the insect world. There are at least a dozen fascinating, memorable images, and the carnage is held to a minimum. Some favorites include a caterpillar traffic jam, a frog's bout with a rain storm, and a bird that turns into Godzilla for a bunch of ants. Then there's the snail mating scene that must be seen to be believed. Great for families. --Doug Thomas ... Read more

Reviews (41)

Kinky sex, brutal massacres, RATED G!!!! (Huh?)
This is one of the strangest movies I have ever seen. It shows everyday life among bugs in a European meadow. It shows snails mating, ants scrambling for shelter to avoid being eaten by a pheasant, a dung beetle rolling his delicious (?) dinner up a hill, and other things bugs do in their everyday lives. That's it, there's no real plot to it, it's just a documentary.

Okay, so it's not exactly something you'd take a girl on a date to see, but it's a very well-made film. The camerawork is truly astounding. I don't know how they got such incredible close-ups. I became totally engrossed in this fascinating tale of everyday life in a world that nobody notices, yet it's right in our very own backyards. "Microcosmos" is a great movie to show to anyone who is interested in nature (I myself saw it in a high school biology class), and it's kid-friendly too!

The one thing I did not like about "Microcosmos" was the overly bombastic music played during several scenes of the film.

Mesmeric, beautiful, astonishing
In similar vein to Reggio's seminal Koyaanisqatsi, Microcosmos is a film without commentary, other than a one-sentence introduction and a few poetic words at the close.

It presents the viewer with a gorgeous series of tableaux starring the amazing micro-fauna occupying a meadow. I guarantee the first thing that springs to mind when viewing Microcosmos for the first time is "how did they film that?!!" Achingly beautiful close-ups of ants, caterpillars, butterflies, snails, ladybirds, the bizarrely alien-looking mantis and dozens more give us an unique insight into the oft-ignored world beneath our feet.

The whole 72 minutes is one great therapeutic trip - just sit in your comfiest chair and let the vivid colours and sumptuous sound (natural insect noises occasionally punctuated with minimalist ambient music) wash over you.

Favourite scenes include the sissyphus-like dung-beetle, the ants at the "waterhole", the snail lovers, the spider's "aqualung", the stag beetles' battle and the jaw-droppingly stunning finale of the nascent mosquito breaking free of the meniscus of the pond on its impossibly long legs. Even the moment of microcosmic horror, when a strangely prehistoric looking pheasant perpetrates some genocide, is magnificently filmed and utterly satisfying.

Possibly the first wildlife film to cross the boundary into pure art.

I guarantee you will feel a better and more harmonious person for having viewed Microcosmos.

"where time is measured out in moments"
This is a mesmerizing look into the life of insects, with "real time" photography as well as slow motion and time lapse sequences. It also shows the predators who live off them, like the frogs, and the pheasant who gobbles up ants; flowers and how their life cycle is interconnected with the insects that pollinate them, as well as the carnivorous Drosera, as it devours a wasp-like creature.
There is even a portion in the night, with the nocturnal activity seen in the glimmer of moonlight, and also a marvelous rainstorm, with close-ups of the droplets falling.
The two most memorable scenes are the snails who mate with grace and abandon, and seem to become "one flesh", and the horned beetles in a battle that shows incredible violence and tenacity; both these segments seem to reflect "human" qualities, and fill the mind with wonder.

There is a beautifully written but short introduction and epilogue, read by Kristin Scott Thomas, and a score by Bruno Coulais, which consists mostly of vocal music, sung by mezzo Mari Kobayashi, and the charming young voices of Hugo and Louis Coulais; much of the film is in silence however, with just the sound of the insects.
A visual feast that is the creation of the Claude Nuridsany and Marie Perennou, who share credits as director/writer/cinematographer, and additional cinematography was done by Thierry Machado and Hugues Ruffel.
Total running time is 80 minutes, and you will never look at a lowly snail in the same way again.

One of the best films I have ever seen
This movie begs to be seen on DVD. Why is it not available?

Go to the Ant, Thou Sluggard!
My first viewing of Microcosmos left me enchanted. It also left me feeling as if I'd emerged from an hour in a hot tub, and I slept like a baby. The enchantment and the deliciously soporific effect kicked in immediately with Viewing Two, and other impressions began to form as well. Impressions of gentle hilarity; of existential horror; of earthly abundance that-like fractile geometry-moves you closer to infinity the closer you look.

"Go to the ant, thou sluggard; consider her ways, and be wise." [Proverbs VI:vi.] Why, I often wonder, are we always so compelled to draw human lessons and morals from observations of Nature and her creatures? Why must we always anthropomorphize the creatures instead of taking them according to their own mysterious natures? Well, watching the scene of the mating snails makes me surrender these objections. Nakedness and tenderness can't have much more to teach us than they do in this encounter and delicate mutual exploration. The fact that the snails wind up rolling over into the grass is just a bonus!

The score for this film is perfectly inspired by and wed to its subject. A few words, a few bars of music, a vast silence. Brilliant.

Despite the fun it is to watch this film, I rarely watch it. Like food cravings, Microcosmos lets you know when it's time to watch. And then it's completely satisfying. After you've seen it, you'll never walk through grass the same way again. ... Read more

Reviews (138)

Brutally Honest!
City of God is certainly one of the most exceptional foreign language films in movie history! The movie excels in every level. The captivating camera shots make a truly fascinating cinematography. Editing was brilliantly done with some Pulp Fiction influence added into it. No single actor's performance particulary outshine the most, but the ensemble performance, from the street kids to the crime masterminds, is remarkably convincing! The screenwriter made the story so suspenseful, bold and daring, that you would not want to miss a single scene. And the truly best aspect of the movie is its ingenious filmmaking. Watch out for the "apartment scene" where the genius director shows how one small apartment drastically transforms as its inahabitants change through the years.

I would not recommend the film though to people with a weak stomach. I must admit that watching this film was pretty difficult to me because i have no experience of residing in the slums or what other people calls "the ghetto." Everything might come extremely shocking if you are not aware of the reality drug trades and gang wars. There are very graphic violent scenes so watch it at your own risk.

I would recommend it though to people who wants to see something honest, bold and dare. It is one of the, or probably the, most brutally honest film you will ever see! What this film achieved is boldness, directness, and honest filmmaking at its finest!

City of God will blow your mind away
After you finish viewing 'City of God' you are left wondering about the irony of the title. It is not long in the movie where you realize that the City of God is a place totally forgotten by everybody. Still, that is the name that the government of Brazil gave to the housing developments outside Rio, constructed in the early '60s to hold thousands of people. Those slums, known as "the favelas", eventually led to the isolation of poor people from the city center, becoming a place where music, life and colour can be sensed in the air, but at the same time the law is absent and the violent gangs rule the streets.

The story of 'City of God' is based on a book written in a period of 9 years by Paolo Lins, a man who grew up in the favelas and managed to escape. In it, he describes his experiences regarding the creation and the rise of the gangs that control the drug dealing business.

Fernando Meirelles, who started as a director for TV commercials, transforms this complex and demanding material (the book includes more than 200 characters), into a breathtaking, terrifying film that is visually stunning (among others, it includes extensive use of hand-held cameras, flashbacks to introduce the different characters, fast cuts and distinct colours to distinguish the '60s from the '70s, where all the action takes place) and at the same time, shockingly violent: The rate of deaths is so high while the age of the victims so small. 7-year old boys look for guns before they are even able to go to school, and to make things even worse, use them against each other without any hesitation. The gangs provide them with status, power and recognition, replacing importance social structures such as the family.

'City of God' is a film that will blow your mind away; it will certainly trouble you and probably make you feel a bit ashamed and guilty about the things that actually happen around the world, without us doing or knowing anything about. It is certainly refreshing to see occasional moments of humour intervene with its otherwise grim and serious nature. In any case, it is one of the most powerful motion pictures of the current year.

A Frightening, yet Uplifting Masterpiece
City of God is disturbing. It gave me chills seeing coked up juvenile kids putting bullets through other kids' heads, and a ghetto neighorhood which offers no hope whatsoever to any of its occupants. The cinematogrophy is lush, the story, told by a famous photogropher, "Rocket" Rodrigues, is layered and candid. The acting is frightengly excellent, and it contains many scenes which will remain sketched on your brain (unless you grew up there, maybe). An emotional rollercoaster ride, City of God succeeds in transporting the viewer to probably one of the worst areas that has ever existed on this planet, and making us not want to leave.
Bravo!

Tragic Side Of A Great People
For those who think Rio isn't any worse than the likes of LA or any other US city,watch the DVD extra.Apart from that,Rio's murder rate in 1992 according to two reliable sources was 86 per 100,000 - a massive murder rate for a city of ten million(far more striking than Washington D.C. which was 80 per 100,000 in a city of 500,000).What that says is that Rio's worst parts dwarf D.C. or anywhere else in the states.There were some misleading claims in the film and DVD though, such as organized criminality(we are clearly dealing with common criminals here)and Rio being the most dangerous gangland on earth(possibly San Pedro Sula,Honduras and early 90's Bogota,Colombia - CERTAINLY Medellin - also Co